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The girl standing in the women’s section among more men than women in the morning rush hour had been, with all the force of indoctrination, prior experience, and will, pretending as if nothing just happened that concerned her.

When hero took over the situation and had two fellow passengers restraint the offender, he tapped her shoulder with a polite, ‘bibi’. She recoiled in horror. The hand pushing against her buttocks was obviously out of her sight; it was not supposed to be seen by anyone at all. The journey would soon end and she could reclaim her body without a blemish, and without anyone knowing anything about the hand or where it had been wandering. It only happens for a short while, why turn it into a bigger museebat by reacting to it? This policy had worked for her till that day.

The kindly tap on her shoulder pulled her out of a world she’d made up to escape from the real world of a crowded bus and male bodies pressing against her. It exposed her in front of strangers, all looking at her expectantly and imagining God knows what in their heads. She was mortified. She wanted to cry but her features stayed frozen in fright. She raised her eyes with difficulty and looked around in a quick semi circular movement of head. She wanted to plead for help, help her get out of this embarrassment that she was about to be pushed deeper into. All she saw was a blur of male faces perspiring and flushed with the heat of July as much as that of unfamiliar emotions.

Would I want my sister in the shoes of this young woman? Tauba tauba, Allah forbid. Anyways, now that something as commonplace as caressing a butt has been criminalised, let’s see what comes out of it. Females are passive, you do things to her, she is not supposed to react. What is this one going to say or do about it? It was a private court held by a strong man and that was as good an assurance as can be that justice will be done and done quickly. They looked on expectantly.

‘Bibi, look at this beghairat, especially his face, because you are the last one to see this face intact. Go and kick his face until his ears come out of his eyes’. Hero’s voice had the elder brotherly command and assurance in equal measure. She was covering her face with her chador, showing only her anxious, sometimes frightened and sometimes pitiful eyes. Her hands were clasped tight to keep them from shaking. She hadn’t spoken a word, or moved a foot. She was half turned back, towards the men’s section and even with downcast eyes, couldn’t avoid the sight of the offender pinned down on a seat two rows from her. She looked up at hero, begged him with her eyes for something that wasn’t clear to either, and bowed her head again.

‘Are you scared of him? You know how brave this tarzan is? I swear he’ll die of heart attack before my first punch lands on him. He will start urinating if I just look him in the eye for half a minute. But he has the courage to violate another’s body? If you want to know, your silence is the source of his courage’. He turned towards other passengers, including a handful of women who promptly looked away so they didn’t have to answer: ‘What would you do if someone molested you from behind? Yes, you bhai saab’. Over a general din of threats of violence against the beholder of the offending hand, the man originally asked the question, took his time to think his response. ‘It really depends …’ His companion, an older man, in a bid to shut this idiot’s mouth immediately, jumped in excitedly: ‘Let me tell you this, very few men will admit in public and I am glad to be one. Yes, my behind has been a source of amusement for total strangers. I have also fondled strangers who were weaker than me. Having been both, an abused and an abuser, I agree with this gentleman, the abuse goes on until you turn around and face the abuser.’

‘You heard that, bibi? This boy, man, whatever he is, violated your body. These guys are willing to cut their violator in pieces. Your violator is right here, produced before you. Do what you want with him. At least slap him, or beat him with your sandal.’ She raised her eyes finally and blinked a yes to him. She took two small steps and stood over the boy. He wasn’t really a boy. He had a petite physique and boyish face but the lines around his eyes gave him away as at least in his early 30s. She had dreaded looking into the eyes of her tormentor but when she did, she was pleasantly surprised to see fear there, and that gave her courage. She removed the chador from her face and bent over him. Her lips parted and a tiny shower of spittle issued from them. A passenger, who was filming with his mobile phone camera, stood over the scene, moving between close-ups of the two faces. He was happy to have anticipated the spitting moment, then he turned to the man who was held down and spat on. He was chalk white and expressionless and witless. There was no drama in his face, just fear.

The girl on the other hand was going through a spectacular transition from larva to butterfly. Four dozen pairs of male eyes saw her growing instant wings. There, in front of their eyes, this shy and frightened girl was turning into a woman who could strike back. She just had. Her lips were not quivering anymore; her breathing and hands were steady too. And her eyes, that’s where the sea change was. They sparkled as if she had just won a prize fight. It is difficult to explain in words the feelings evoked by what was going on in her eyes. I was glad someone was filming this. I’d probably still be watching those eyes telling the story of a lifetime in a few seconds, over and over again, if the silly passenger hadn’t forgotten to email me the captured footage.

She was staring unblinkingly at the boy-faced man lying helplessly on the seat, not even allowed to wipe the spittle off his face. ‘Give my salam to your mother,’ she hissed. ‘I have taught you a lesson she should have’. Then she turned to the hero and thanked him with a simple ‘shukria bhai saab. I am done,’ and went back to standing among other women – faceless but not voiceless any more.

Comments (86) Closed

Sri1

Jul 20, 2013 06:46pm

What an article, thanks for this one. Automatically brought tears to my eyes.
The fate of a lot of women traveling in public transport in our sub-continent including our near and dear. May more people have the courage to strike back - or those tormentors assume that it is the wanton willfulness of the weaker sex.

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MAK

Jul 20, 2013 06:57pm

It is about time somebody or someone took this step. Very well written, very well composed (almost made me smell the smoke and sweat of those public buses). Pakistani Ladies-------be brave and stand for your rights. There will be many necromongers waiting for an easy prey.

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Tasnim

Jul 20, 2013 07:13pm

Thank you for this. This happens more often than anyone cares to admit and when I lived in Karachi, it happened to me on the bus and in the bazaar as I walked with my sisters and even when my husband was with me. I am sad because young girls are molested all the time and cannot do anything or don't know what to do.

Thank you for this article. It shows that women can 'grow wings' with the help of honorable bhijans such as this man. There are many honorable men out there, too!

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kazim ali

Jul 20, 2013 07:24pm

beautifully written and truly very heart touching, i've traveled in public transport for a long time and always use to think how can men dare to enter ladies compartment even if there wasn't any lady passenger in it. great composition!

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a victim

Jul 20, 2013 07:31pm

This is a very well written piece. I felt the adrenaline rush I once felt when IT too grew wings in a public bus. I like other pakistani woman have been a victim of public bus molestation. But, I stood up and told that man to go back home and do the same to her mother and sister and then I asked the conductor to push him out of the but I guess I was'nt lucky enough I was laughed at by other man the conductor and driver asked me to sit their calmly. I could nt stand that humiliation, so I stepped down from that bus crying over my stupid courage that was of no use. Since that day I promised I won't ever say a word if this happens to me again because I can't afford this humiliation that hungry and greedy look in other men's eyes, laughing at me silently telling me that you are bornto be treated like this your body is not yours we will decide how you should be treated.

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Arun

Jul 20, 2013 08:23pm

Dude You should write a novel or a collection of stories !! This was a great piece !

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Baluch

Jul 20, 2013 09:10pm

This article shows that females need self empowerment - of course, a helping hand can always be useful. Our girls should start training in martial arts and simple techniques of self defense. Schools should spring up in every neighborhood - taught probably by females themselves. I spend my time often in places where young ladies could knock out a lot of males of normal physique - we need such a refreshing change. There would be no need for male heroes - that sounds like a throwback to the '60's.

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Humna

Jul 20, 2013 10:07pm

LOVE IT! Very very very well written! I have always confronted random cat callers etc on the street. Its a crowd mentality, a man alone will hardly attempt it. And even a crowd disperses quite rapidly when you confront it. The more such incidents that we stand up to, the less likely they will happen.

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Zahid

Jul 20, 2013 10:13pm

It gave me creeps, almost like the ones I get when I read some of Manto's short stories. This is as big of a compliment as I can give to a piece of writing. We all see this happening (if not doing it ourselves) in our society. Then we brag all the time, "Westerners are 'be-ghairat' and obscene"... 'sharm hum ko magar nahi ati'.

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Shamoon

Jul 20, 2013 10:51pm

If men take responsibility to defend the weak, there will be less cases of abuse. Women should protest by shouting and make the abuse known..
Fifty years ago I was a young man travelling in a bus in Karachi. A scoundrel while getting off through women section did something to a girl, she shouted in anger. A sudden jolt of spark made me jump out and beat the thug so badly that he started to beg for mercy. My.next encounter in defense of the weak could have given me broken bones, had there been no help from other passengers to protect me. Group of thugs boarded the bus and started teasing girls and they did it loudly. An older man asked them to behave. In response one of the crook used extremely shameful words. Again the sudden spark made my fist land on the mouth where the words came from, placing him flat on bus floor. I am an old man now but it still feels good that I played my role to curb the menace..

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shafiq

Jul 20, 2013 11:35pm

I really appreciate the the way the words are used to create a real scene. It did not seem reading to me I felt I am watching it. One advice to the writer please start writing for television we need it.

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sandeep

Jul 21, 2013 12:19am

beautifully written. moving. Mr Masud Alam, you earned yourself a fan.
its time we grew as human beings.

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Saad(DXB)

Jul 21, 2013 12:35am

I can say with pride that no man has the guts in public transport or streets of Pakistan to harass a woman and get away with it, if anyone catches a glimpse of him in the act. Alhamdulillah and thank God for Pakistan..

I have had he pleasure of beating the hell out of a bus conductor who had the audacity of holding a walking girl's arm for a split second from his moving bus. Alas it wasn't me who came in front of the bus to stop it and pull out the conductor. But I did play a part in dragging him in front of the girl, who was brave enough to publically humiliate him. It was slap he will never forget I am sure.

We have a lot of issues in Pakistan but Alhamdulillah being 'Bayghairat' isn't one of them. Any Pakistani no matter how old, who has blood in his veins will not let a sister, a mother or a daughter be 'Eve Teased' and look the other way..

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Saima

Jul 21, 2013 12:36am

This article has correctly depicted the shameful situation of those travelling the buses.
As a student I travelled alot in the buses, and Alhamdulillah since I had been warned against such cheap people by my experienced friends I didn't have the misfortune of being a victim, but I did witness a few other females going through the same ordeal and I felt sorry for them. I would never blame young women for being victimized, but would like to suggest some precautions which would help prevent them from becoming a victim in the first place. One can't go around always slapping and spitting on cheapsters, therefore I'd like to share some of the precautions that I took while riding the buses. Avoid standing or sitting in a place crowded by men and if the men are in the female side of the bus, make a fuss about it , its better to fuss before rather than regret later. Try to stay as close to elderly women as possible. One of the key detterents is to wear fully covered opaque, less vibrant coloured clothes or even better wear an abaya, and cover your head, and it wud be even better if you cover the face as well. Covering up has been the most helpful for me. Indeed whatever our religion has prescribed for us , is for our own benefit. I wouldn't discourage women from slapping or spitting at their molesters but I think it is preferable to prevent such circumstances from occurring in the first place, and even after taking all precautions someone is still indecent enough to tease you , then please go right ahead slap, spit and skew his face :)

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vipin

Jul 21, 2013 12:57am

Too many questions. How do we know that the touch wasn't accidental?

Also, in a situation where the resources are so scarce that the number of riders causes the space to be at a minimal if at all, one should expect this in the close confines.

I suppose that being a guy makes it easy for me to ask if is really such a big deal? I mean, under normal circumstances, men and women seek out others anyway. Maybe it's cultural.

If it's cultural, and the crowds lend itself to this type of activity, the offended only has one choice - not to go out at all. It really is too much to expect all in the crowd to behave properly.

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Saleem

Jul 21, 2013 01:10am

Very well written, it's time we all stand up for everything which happens around us. Stop the ones who break the signal, stop the ones who jump the queue, and do not accept "Yeh Pakistan hai, Sab chalta hai'.

I am sure this article will not be read by ones who travel in buses and are subjected to such situations or the perpetrators themselves, but I hope it will be an eye opener for majority who keep silent.

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disgusted

Jul 21, 2013 01:24am

what an article!!! its not just the buses or only women. most of the people have been abused like this in their lives. and whats even more disgusting is the fact that most of the time, the victims are children and not just the women. all these sick abusers need to go to rehab or face public humiliation.
very well written indeed!

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khanofkalabagh

Jul 21, 2013 01:46am

Inspirational, its time for our 52% population to rise against the mistreatment.

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msb

Jul 21, 2013 01:48am

Very nice. Great observation and well drafted. This incident should be encouragement to many
Keep up the good work

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dr khan

Jul 21, 2013 02:43am

what made me even happier is the fact the comments under mine didn't get any dislikes .Pakistan is changing for the better .

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voltore

Jul 21, 2013 03:30am

Great Article.

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just_someone

Jul 21, 2013 03:32am

Excellent!
It echoes the words of other people here. We somehow teach our women to be timid and be fearful even when they are being violated. We need to let these women know they have the right like any other person to speak up.
Pakistani women are very courageous to deal with Pakistani men. Sadly, this courage is somehow only internal.
Ladies, you need to let this internal courage shine out. Trust me, these kind of despicable men are more scared of you than you are of them if you just stand up for yourself!!!

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vasu

Jul 21, 2013 07:00am

The article makes me emotional and tearful. We need due punishment to such people who create nuisance in the public places thinking it their own property.

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neptune srimal

Jul 21, 2013 07:11am

simply beautiful!

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Ambrose

Jul 21, 2013 08:08am

Love it.

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Aamil

Jul 21, 2013 08:51am

This is so common in our country.I am sharing my personal story with you, Once i was going with my sister to attained her job fair, On the way suddenly she became shoked and say to me, Aamil look at me ,look at my dressing , she was crying and says to me , is it anything wrong with me? The resion was that , almost two,third of the crowed was focusing on us... Thanks Pakistan

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kashif

Jul 21, 2013 09:46am

Beautiful article.... well done. This is one of the most unfortunate realities of our ailing society.

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Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani

Jul 21, 2013 10:04am

The real but bitter face of our society.

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Zargar

Jul 21, 2013 11:16am

This happens everyday in public buses. Some unknown heroes show their masculinity only in the buses and poor women helplessly keep quiet as you said, not to turn this in to a big fight.
This is our nation my brother sadly we need to realize it. This is a bitter truth. Thanks for focusing on this issue.

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Dr.Ghousia Ahmed

Jul 21, 2013 11:39am

Well done, and this courage should be propagated thru mass media before these girls come out to travel alone, they should know their rights and should also know the support they shall receive,alas where are men of ghaira

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M. Hanif

Jul 21, 2013 12:44pm

Bitter Reality :(

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X

Jul 21, 2013 03:39pm

Never said this out loud. When I was younger, around 14 I went to bakra mandi with my family before eid. Was walking around, everything normal, I am a kid and suddenly a hand touched my behind. Never saw who it was and it was for a split second but God to this day I get so angry when that comes back. I wish I would have done something but there was so much crowd I could not have known, and then we are all afraid of the 'majma aktha ho jae ga'. What did that 'man' got out of this, I hope he is in pain somewhere.

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waqas khalid

Jul 21, 2013 03:41pm

Its a great article.I m really impressed.After reading it i had a lot to think over and learn about.I feel really sad for the women who travel by local transport vehicles daily.I am shocked to know that women are embarrassed up to such a great extent !!! How helpless these women are!!!.Masculinity is the name of respecting and protecting women not to conduct these filthy habits.

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Aseer

Jul 21, 2013 04:05pm

What are u trying to tell haan? Anyway if only their could be more heroes out there

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Pakistani

Jul 21, 2013 05:36pm

@Shamoon:
well done Sir!

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Quaid

Jul 21, 2013 07:17pm

I am glad to read what we all want to say and express.

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Feroz

Jul 21, 2013 07:57pm

These are nasty ways of scaring women so they do not venture out into the public space to work and study. I think women traveling on public transport should keep a small pin handy so any touch is repelled with one poke. I support any move that empowers women to be equal partners in the nations development and progress.

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Harkappa

Jul 21, 2013 08:01pm

Wow, what a gripping account!

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msb

Jul 21, 2013 09:00pm

@Saima:
great points!

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Khadija Memon

Jul 21, 2013 09:23pm

I think its time women took a stand,hasn't it been a too long wait for heroes? The article is true and I appreciate truth but is there something to be done about it? or will we keep wishing for heroes who might never appear?

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RK Singh

Jul 21, 2013 10:27pm

sad

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Touseef

Jul 21, 2013 10:34pm

@a victim:
Sister I hope this re-ignites your courage seeing that here are more sane people condemning the act and praising the courage of the few that ever stood to voice it. Bravo to your courage and salaam to you for standing up in the bus filled of such cowards. And may God have his limitless mercy and bounties on you and your family.

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H Nasir

Jul 21, 2013 11:06pm

@Sri1:
Yes this has been happening in buses , in bazaars, public places. Not only women but men/ boys are touched /pressed against sexually. Most of the time, the victim just keeps quiet waiting for the journey to end. I wonder when and how this will stop. Just beating/insulting one offender is not the answer to the issue.

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Thinker

Jul 21, 2013 11:16pm

@vipin:
Your point of view is much a man's view. As a woman I can tell you... And most women will agree with that ..... We know the difference between an accidental touch and a lecherous touch. If two men touch my hand I will get a very strong sense of which one had inappropriate intentions.

Secondly a hand brushing against you once is accidental but a hand groping or grabbing is not accidental.

Yes men and women seek out each other but it's my body and should be my choice who I allow to touch it... That's not a cultural issue, that is a basic human rights issue. How would you feel about a 60 year old woman 'accidentally' touching you?

It's a shame that the suggestion being offered is to not go out. Absolute shame.

Just shows you have no idea how much trauma young girls and women go through when they are disrespected in such a manner. I hope you are not ok with your sisters being touched that way or perhaps you tell them the same thing....don't go out in public , dont go to school, dont go to work, because it is not right to ask men to behave with courtesy, yeah?

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Naz

Jul 22, 2013 12:40am

@Saad(DXB):
What planet are you living on ? This happens day in day out in Pakistan. I'm a man, I know no woman is safe in Pakistan

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shahzad

Jul 22, 2013 12:47am

@Saad(DXB):
Bro you are living in a fantasy world. Emotional (wishful) thoughts like any other Pakistani expat. Being physical is one thing; what about evil stares that girls/women experience every second when they are out in the streets. Just heard in some part of Pakistan women are no more allowed to go to bazaar without a MEHRAM...

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farhatfarhan

Jul 22, 2013 01:15am

Well done! No doubt it is a proud action.

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a

Jul 22, 2013 01:26am

nice one...i have traveled a lot in bus and have seen these type of scenes i think girls are responsible for this because they don't react ..those beghairat heroes should be slapped in front of every one and thrown out from the bus!

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ali

Jul 22, 2013 01:40am

Reason Islam says to have a mahram when outside the house and be properly covered.

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A.I.S

Jul 22, 2013 01:44am

A brilliant piece. It's not just happening in the buses but everywhere. My friend's chest was groped by a male nurse when she went for a blood test in a private hospital.

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Sumit Mazumdar

Jul 22, 2013 02:37am

@Shamoon:
That's not a solution - what if there are multiple hoodlums, some perhaps with weapons? And what guarantees that the hoodlum will not do the same thing the next day? The long term solution is to raise our boys such that they grow up respecting women. And to raise our girls such that they know they are equals in society.

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zafarov

Jul 22, 2013 04:53am

All girls should be given martial arts training. One well directed sharp kick would render the assaulter permanently emasculated. When news of this gets around this will be sorted.

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ayman

Jul 22, 2013 05:06am

But I totally love Masud Alam Post.

I hope that many women's will read it and put in application the learnings from the story!

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Qaiser Hussain

Jul 22, 2013 05:51am

The mother is the first school of teaching for every child and here we can assess and judge how he was brought up as the man is known by the company he keeps.
These so called offenders try to humiliate their sisters, daughters and colleagues for their selfish motives without realizing that they have thier own sisters, daughters, wives and mothers at home or working some other places and they can also be meted out with the same treatment as is being done by them.
Shame on them and May God curse them for ever to keep womenfolk safe from these criminal culprits. Amin

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Syeda Jafri

Jul 22, 2013 08:03am

V.well written indeed. Women have to be strong enough to fell victim to such harassment. Unfortunately this is only one form of harassment that is comparitively easy to deal with. Women in our society have to face A LOT more than this. Baat tou sach hay mager baat hay ruswai ki :(

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illawarrior

Jul 22, 2013 08:30am

Why did she need a male "hero"? Why didn't she simply stand up for herself? As the article suggests, these sleazebags misbehave this way because they are confident of the women's silence. Speak out, and in time it will stop.

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illawarrior

Jul 22, 2013 08:32am

@khanofkalabagh:
It is time for 100% of the population to rise against such things!

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illawarrior

Jul 22, 2013 08:39am

@vipin:
An accidental brushing past is very different to a deliberate grope. No, it is not too much to expect people to behave properly - it is a very reasonable expectation. Staying home is NOT the only other option - women can speak out, take action, have the men charged with assault. They can teach the men in their lives, particularly their sons, to treat women with respect, and thereby bring about attitudinal change. They can get elected to public office and get laws passed and enforced to end such abysmal behaviour. They have many options.

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illawarrior

Jul 22, 2013 08:53am

@Shamoon:
Such vigilante style violence is not the answer - as this assault is as much a crime as the groping of the woman. Pakistanis have to start insisting that their legal system does its job - have the man charged, tried and legally punished.

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illawarrior

Jul 22, 2013 08:54am

@Sri1:
If the bus driver was doing his job, there would not have been any men in the female section.

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Mateen

Jul 22, 2013 09:17am

A hugely important solution to this would be for women in our society to wear proper clothing, you guys laugh at 'westerners' for wearing skirts and shorts, then you go out wearing see through, skin tight, body hugging clothes in public, like it or not it will get you unwanted attention especially from men, and the uneducated ones might even go as far as taking advantage of you when they can like this mentioned in a public bus, where they can most probably get away with it. If you call yourselves proper Muslims then mind as well cover yourselves up like your religion tells you, or else you are fall victom to your own crime.

Can't believe how so many women expect to be treated with high respect when they are wearing such provocative clothing, even if no one of the street will tell you anything about your clothes, all the men do stare at your curves and imagine dirty things along with passing comments with their pals about what type of a person you are, quick hint: the comments would shock you if you heard them.

Men are lust crazed monsters, not all but most are, even if they might not show it, Islam realizes this and that is why it has given out appropriate ruling on this. Follow it and we might have a better society tommoro, don't follow it then just expect Pakistan to be the backwards society it is now.

"Islamic" republic of Pakistan? There's barely anything Islamic about it, from curroption to intrest taking banks, from shunning the basic rights of women till mindlessly killing each other for political power and money, backwards society to say the least!

All we have is alot of "jazba" though no guidence, half of the country goes to shrines to pray and ask the dead for help, still calling themselves Muslims after that is the most ignorant act a human can ever do, when you forget your Lord, His punishment will rain down upon you.

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khan

Jul 22, 2013 09:29am

One of the beautiful articles i have read so far !

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kk

Jul 22, 2013 09:41am

nice piece of literature but r u also trying to say that without a hero (who we can safely assume to be male by context), a woman can never strike back. Dude, just visit mumbai once, u will get ur illusion cleared...

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Bilal

Jul 22, 2013 10:06am

Good write mate, I have travelled the world and seen a lot and I have come to a conclusion that Pakistanis and Indians (no offense to our neighbours) are sexually repressive and it's norm.

No offense but I have been very vocal about it. we have a moral duty culturally and religiously and we continue to fail on both.

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Raghu

Jul 22, 2013 10:14am

Respect.

From,
India

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RUBEELA

Jul 22, 2013 10:55am

gr8..im glad some1 wrote abt this
travelling in buses is itself a torturs esp at rushy hours..hav experimced it myself how men fin various ways 2 harass girls n women

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RC

Jul 22, 2013 11:03am

Please write in urdu.. if u really want to change the hearts of the molestors! The english speaking junta hardly travels in a local bus in the month of July

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shaista yasmeen

Jul 22, 2013 11:22am

i remember such incidence from my child hood of having teased in streets and by using transport facilities. its such a shame that we experience such harassment in our day to day life and still afraid of raising voice against it ky "Loog kya khyain gain" what will people say. normally we are taught in our houses that baita agar aisa huu bhe jaye tuu kuch nahain bolna" i mean if such thing happens to say a word in response. This is the society where girls are forbidden to raise voices against such incidents. nor even other realise by touching, or making man satisfied of. i think we should be waiting for hero's to come and guide us. we should stand up against it no matter what others think of us.

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Faheem

Jul 22, 2013 11:27am

Very well written and rightly pointed out as well. The so called MARD of our society needs to be taught a lesson, this mard thinks of every woman as an item living to fulfill his physical needs. As a society we should teach these a lesson too, and if we see such an incident ourselves, then we should at least politely educate the man that this is not how one should behave in a public place.

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gudi

Jul 22, 2013 11:55am

%%:
This is a great article and its common that such men try to tease and do anything with the girls who are going out from their homes or hostels for studies or work. we must take an action against such people and must guide our women, how to handle such rascals.Now i am a working women, when i was student i also experienced such sick things but Thanks to Allah Almighty for giving such courage and braveness to handle such dogs in a better way.Once i was walking through a foot path with my two more friends towards my University....some of hell men appeared in a taxi and start to tease us by passing comments on us....firstly we never concentrate on them and walked away but they didn't avoid teasing us and continued.....then it was out of my control i said stop this nonsense but still they did so........i picked up a stone and threw it on them it crossed the window of taxi and broke it.......than taxi boy stopped and came-out and start bursting bad words...i was holding an umbrella......i picked it up and start beating that taxi boy with umbrella.........than he ran away with his friends from there... I thanked Allah Almighty and left for University with my friends.I will suggest that such men must be punished for their bad deeds...this article depicts it in a great way.............i will appreciate if all the women must take an action against such men.

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Faraz

Jul 22, 2013 01:16pm

Wah.. It was a pleasure reading this. Thank you. Abuse has to be crushed or it would crush you.

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Mustafa

Jul 22, 2013 01:40pm

Excellent

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Khalid

Jul 22, 2013 02:25pm

What a shameful account of what happens in our public transport. These animals need to be punished on the spot. If it means beating them to the pulp, so be it. There are enough "ghairatmand" men who would be happy to take part in beating the hell out of these animals. Let us do it from today.

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Lando

Jul 22, 2013 03:39pm

@zafarov:
This is dangerous advice. The guy man have a knife or accomplices. What you need is better law enforcement.

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Tariq mahmood

Jul 22, 2013 03:41pm

There should be absolute "zero" tolerance to any kind of indecent behavior! The victim should scream loudest rather than displaying silence which only encourages the offender.

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Tariq mahmood

Jul 22, 2013 03:58pm

There far too many "heroes" in the Muslim world who feel it's their gender God given right to behave as they wish towards the other half of the population!
This is totally and utterly wrong on all accounts or by any measure!

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Mustafa

Jul 22, 2013 04:01pm

Excellent

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Naveed A. Jami

Jul 22, 2013 04:50pm

It was wonderful reading it. I am so happy for that woman.

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Yeshwath Pai

Jul 22, 2013 05:13pm

Quiet dramatically described about something that happens probably to millions of women in their day to day life in the sub continent-a very urbane happening and then comes the acid throwing parties, if the victim puts up a front? All this is sponsored by the establishment , quietly and subtly as if this is how it should be, sine it has always been that way. Same goes for rape- one does not know how many females in this part of the world are subjected to this treatment within their own families. The revolution has to come from within of the oppressed-otherwise ther is no escape from this heneous crime!

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waqas khalid

Jul 22, 2013 05:16pm

@ali:sir, in my opinion your comment was very great!!!

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YP

Jul 22, 2013 05:26pm

Wonderful article about an inspiring incident that would have otherwise sadly gone unnoticed. Women will fight back and should fight back. All they need is an environment that empowers them. It can be provided if boys were brought up to become honourable 'Men', not the shady scratchy cowards seeking cheap thrills at the expense of women who bring and nurture them into this world.

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Durga Prasad

Jul 22, 2013 06:13pm

@Thinker: I agree with you. I believe Vipin is an Indian and if he is, its a shame that he is a fellow citizen. No wonder why so many women are tortured and abused in India.

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Faizan

Jul 23, 2013 01:28pm

Great write up..!
and here I find the protagonist opted for the better weapon of humiliating that offender!

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Huma

Jul 23, 2013 01:52pm

@Mateen:
the woman in this was weariing a "chaddor" (shawl) and her face was covered! what do you want her to wear? full body armour??

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ajay

Jul 23, 2013 02:04pm

brilliant piece of writing+great reporting. cngrts

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sattar rind

Jul 23, 2013 04:49pm

the issue has long history...there was a short story - the nice one.... the writer name just forgot. but it was on the same issue